Bill Zimmerman has been a volunteer at WHRO for almost 20 years. When he first came to the station in 1996, Zimmerman performed administrative duties like mail-outs and other paperwork. He worked in the records department and currently at the front desk greeting those that come into the building, answering phone calls, and juggling employee schedules.


So what is Bill’s favorite job as a volunteer you ask? He says that it’s reading for The Voice, a program for the visually impaired which allows them to hear contents of media outlets like The Virginian Pilot or The Daily Press. He says, “You can show off a little bit if you want, you know? I’m originally from Massachusetts so if I get an article from Boston, I’ll do it in a New England accent just for fun.” He says that everything, including the obituaries are read on the program. He says he heard one listener was thankful for the service and was able to go to an individual’s funeral because of it. Otherwise they may have never known of their passing.


Zimmerman was an airplane mechanic for 42 years before becoming a volunteer at WHRO. He’s lived in the area since 1952 and although he was born and raised in a small town in  Massachusetts, he says candidly, “This is my home. The weather is much nicer here than around Boston.”


Bill says, “This is a wonderful thing to do. It gives me a lot of pleasure to rub elbows with the staff and with the talent here…I just stay in the background. That’s what a good volunteer does. How much do we save the station? A ton!” He truly enjoys his volunteer work and though there are likely many, he has never tallied up the hours he’s spent at the station. Between answering phone calls and energetically greeting individuals who approach his desk, he says, “It’s a lot of fun. It’s a joy to be here.”


At 85, Bill plans to retire from volunteering later this year. He says he’s not sure what he’ll do afterward but “counterfeit money comes to mind” and “a whiskey still up in the mountains,” he jokes.


We can always use more volunteers. If you are interested, learn how to join us.